Feeler mechanism for looms



I, snow. FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

2 SHEETS-$HEET1- Reissued June 6. 1922.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, i922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, IVLASSACHUS EITS, ASSIGNOR TO DBAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, IVIASSACH'USETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOIrIS.

Original N0. 1,392,805, dated October 4, 1921. Serial No. 379,286, filed May 6. 1920. issue filed April 13, 1922.

'1 '0 all whom it may c().=. (i-c'm.'

lie it known that I ,..ISAAG SNow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement'in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, through the agency of which filling replenishment is effected when the filling in the shuttle becomes substantially exhausted.

A feeler mechanism should be sensitive and responsive to either the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat. Its failure to respond to substantial exhaustion of filling is liable to cause imperfect cloth to be woven by laying a blank or partial pick; and on the other hand, should it operate to effect replenishment of filling before substantial. exhaustion of filling is reached, an undesirable waste of filling is caused by'the premature ejection of the filling carrier or bobbin from the shuttle, or while it contains a working supply of filling.

One of the features of the present invention consists of a feeler mechanism wherein the feeler is mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom. and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, and isunder the control-of-a rack which is nor mally held in position by yielding means such as a spring which tends to impart to the feeler its movement longitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat, and is held from effecting such movement when the feeler engages and is held by the filling in the shuttle. In carrying'this feature of the invention into effect, the rack is independently mounted and is under the control of a spring whose tension may be readily varied to adjust the sensitive character of the feeler both' tothe presenceand to the substantial absence of filling in the shuttle.

Other important features of the invention, and novel combination of parts will be herein described in addition to the above,

Reissned June 6, 1922.

Application for re- Serial No. 553,198.

and in connection with the accompanying drawings which show one good, practical form of the invention, wherein 2-- Figure l. is a perspective viewof the feeler side of the loom showing more particularly the feeler mechanism and the associated parts;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale, showing the action of the feelermechanism when a. working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the operation of the feeler mechanism when the filling is substantially'en hausted on a detecting beat.

The loom frame 1 has secured thereto the brackets 2, one at each side of the loom, in which is supported the transverseor rock shaft 3 connected at its opposite end from that shown in the drawings, to the replenishing controlling means. This shaft and its connected mechanism is of well known type. Rising from the transverse shaft is the arm 4L to which is pivoted at 5 the latch 6 which is adapted to be moved frontwardly on call for replenishment of filling, by an operating member? preferably formed as a part connected to the cam follower orv weft hammer, as usual in this class of looms.

In the present instance, the latch 6 has pivotally secured thereto at 8, the operating engaging member or end 9. Extending from. the portion 9 of'the latch is the fin-- ger 1O beneath which extends one arm' of the bell crank lever 11 pivoted at 12 to a suitable support rising from th loom frame, and which, in the present instance, comprises the arm 13 secured tothe loom frame at 14. The-bell crank lever 11 is connected at 15 to a transmitter 16 which is under'the control of the feeler mechanism, whereby, upon. indication of substantial exhaustion of filling on a detecting beat, the endof the latch 6 is placed in thepath of the operating member 7 to cause frontward rocking movement of the transverse or rock shaft 3, which effects a replenishment of-fillin'g.

The lay 17 has the usual shuttleboX-18, in which is received the shuttle 19 which carries the filling 20. The filling 20 is wound upon a suitable carrier or bobbin 21 39.": The reek cu itfl w hich' profec as usual, The front Wall of the shuttle-box is slotted et- 22, end the adjacent Well of the shuttle when in the detecting box has an opening 23 which registers With'the opening;

thevitront Well of the shuttle-box, the construction of parts being such that on a detecting beat, the openings 22 and 23 are relatively positioned to permit the entrance oi e. feeler to feel for and detect the condition. of the filling in the shuttle.

Extending from the loom frame is the shipper-stand 24- heving; ebrncltet portion 25 slotted at 26 for edjustebly supporting a bracket 27. The bracket 27 may be adjustably supported on the arm 25 by a suitable securing bolt 28.

The, lieeler in the presei'it invention mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom endis supported. upon e feeler carrier, two general types of such carriers being common in the art. In the present instance, the bracket 27 has adjustcbl-y secured thereto the tteeler stand 29 by means of abolt 30 which passes through t slot 31 in the feel-er stand.

The feeler stand is provided with a front flange or hearing portion 32 and. at rear flange or bearing portion 233 which constitutes; suit able guiding means for the i eeler ceri'ier and the rack carrier as will more fully appear.

' The feeler carrier 34 is, in the present in- 'stanceoii th'eiinvention, formed as e fiat plate which extends tfro'ntwerdly through a slot 35 lnthe reel" flange 33- ofthe "feelei? stand and hesapro ectmg frontwerrllv therefrom the dem se which passes through an opening: in

the front flange 32, Surrounding the stem 36 .15 sprlng 3'7, one end. of which bears egeirist the shoulder formedby the flattened portion 34E of the color fiall'f'lil, end the other endof which beers against the rem. surface oi? the flange 32, the construction beingsuch that underthe impl'llse oi the spinne- 37 the 'feelei' carrier 34 is nominally held in its rear or feeling position, mid s limited in itsrearn erd move'z'nent by u suitable stop, presently to be deecribod.

lvlounted onthe feeler stand for mm emm;

toward and. from the trout oi. the loom end independently o l"the i eeler 'cerricn is the rack carrier 38' Which need be p forc bly torn-ted: as a flat plate, as indicated; provided With'e reervszendly projecting rec-k portion. *ricr 38 extends throw-nigh the bherini r 35 o'l the rear fienyge 33 mm s pnei emb ly superimposed upon the new erric-r Extendingfnrwswdly from the plate-portion of the rack cm'r-ler is the stem ts tln'omzh it suitable guide openin i in thd'front syn-inc 41 surrounds the stem 40 and norn'mllx holds the'reclt ca-rr iei 38 in its rearwardposition with pci misei'v-e n'iovcrncnt trontmnwlly in opposition to the spring 41; Fromtheconits rearward position as indicated in Fig. 1

feeler carrier and rack carrier are inde pendently mounted for independent move nlent toward and "from the "front of the loom, and that eech is under the influence of a separate spring, the tension. of'which may be varied to suit conditions of use. The feeler carrier has a slotted portion 42 Wider than a d'ow'nturned lug portion 43 extending from the reek carrier 38, the construction being such that the feeler carrier and. rack carrier may have limited relative movement toward audit-rein the front of the loom. Extending through the rack carrier is a, stop pin which, when the reek carrier is in 3 rests against the rear flange 33. Thus, the rearward position of the rack carrier is defined by the stop 44: and the rearward position of the :Feeler carrier 34 is defined by the lung 43 on the rack carrier extending into the slot 41-2 of the i'eeler carrier.

lhtounted upon the feeler carrier tonmovement therewith, and also in a direction long-itudineliy ol the shuttle, is the feeler, the rear end-portion. of which is provided with filling: engaging teeth, or a roughened surface "for engaging the filling on adetecting beet. In the present instance the feeler 45 is pivotelly mounted at 46011 the feeler-cnrrier and has one or more teeth 4:7 which are engaged with the teeth of the geanor toothed rotntive member 48' pivotally mounted at 49 on the feelercerrier. llhe-teeth of the gear es alsoengegze the rack 89, the construction responsive to the spring 41 which, controls the rack carrier.

'VVhen- :i-Worki-ngsupply of filling is present in the shuttle on a: detecting beat, the toothed rear end portion of the teeler 4.5 engages and. sinks into the filliiig which holds the teele'zfrom movement longitudinally of the shuttle as the lay heats up. Under these conditions, the spring 41 of the neck inemlz-ez' yields frontwerdly- Without effecting ti'wnino movement of: the geer-ltl-ivhich is held from such tun-ninemoveinentvbythe ac tion ir'l ll'llfl filling upon the feeleri When, however, the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting'beet;the-teeler 45 will no lonn'e1,-'be held trmn'mmement longitudinally o't the szhuttle as tlnln-y'heat-s-up, and the spring: ll} Will assert its force through't-he rncl: to effectsuch movement es the feeler mo ves trontwm'dlyi Whenithe 'feeler is moved in a direction longitudinally-ofthe shuttle on n no, bealttzas described-it indicates sl i u lei-exhaustion: o llilfllfil'lilfig, and the 'tI tlI LSI'UliZlZBI 1 6 is therenpc n actuated toefiect replenishment oi lilling. In the present instance of the invention. the near 4.18 has extending tlierein'nn an arm 50 which is pivotally connected at 5i to the transmitter, the construction being such that when the gear is rotated by the rack, under conditions of substantial. exhaustion of filling on a detecting i'ieat, the arm 50 will be swung to place the end of the latch 6 in the path. of the opcrating member '7, to thereby eflt'ect replenishment of filling.

The sensitiveness and responsiveness of the tceler to the presence or absence of filling in the shuttleis, of course, dependent upon the tension oi the spring;- 411 which may be ronvenien'tly changed by a suitable'means as,

for instance, by changing the spring so that the feeler will respond to either condition to prevent replenishment of filling when a, working supply is present in the shuttle on a detect-ingbeat, and to effect replenishment of filling; when the filling is substantially exhausted.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a tteeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a tleeler mounted on the carrier for movement in. a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement by engagement with the filling on a detecting heat until substantial exhaustion thereof, a gear having a tooth engagement with the feeler. a rack engaged with the gear, a spring acting upon the rack and tending to turn the gear and move the feeler longitudinally of the shutttle under the frontward pressure upon the Peeler on a detecting beat, and means for effecting replenishment of fillin when the :teeler is moved. longitudinally o? the shuttle.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and. from the front of the 100m, a feeler pivotally mounted upon the carrier to swing in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and having toothed portion, a gear mounted on the teeler carrier and engaging the toothed portion of the feeler, a rack mounted independently of the feeler carrier and operatively engaged with the gear, and a spring normally holding the rack in rearward position and tending to turn the gear and feeler as they are moved frontwardly on a detecting beat.

3. In a ieeler mechanism for looms. the combination of a teeler carrier. a zlieeler pivotally mounted on the carrier, an indeymndently mounted rack yicldingly held in nor mal position, a gear connecting the rack and feeler constructed and arranged to cause frontward movement of the teeler by the lay on a detecting beat to efiect ilfrontward movement of the rack when the feeler is held from pivotal movement on a detecting beat and to efie'ct pivotal movement of the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

4:. In a feele-r mechanism tor looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted tor movement toward and trom the trout of the loom, a feeler pivotally mounted on the carrier to swing in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, a gear mounted on the 'Feeler carrier and operatively connected with the feeler, and a rack which is mounted independent of the feeler carrier constructed and arranged to be moved frontwardly by the gear on a detecting beat when the feeler is prevented from pivotal movement by engagement with the filling and exerting a force through the gear to turn the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat. V

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler pivotally mounted thereon, a gear pivotally mounted on the carrier and engaging the feeler, a rack engaging the gear, and a spring normally acting on the rack and tending to turn the feeler as the latter is moved frontwardly on at detecting beat and infecting turning movement of the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler carrier, a :Eeeler pivotally mounted thereon, agear pivotally mounted on the carrier and engaging the feeler, a rack engaging the gear, a spring normally acting on the rack and tending to turn the feeler as the latter is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat and effecting;

turning movement of the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is swung on its pivot on a detecting beat.

7. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising in combination, a feeler carrier mounted for sliding movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler pivoted on the carrier, a rack which is yieldingly supported by the loom frame independent of the feeler carrier, and a gear mounted on the teeler carrier and operatively connecting the feeler and rack to efi'ect swinging movement of the feeler by the rack due to the frontward movement of the feeler and gear relative to the rack on a detecting beat when the filling is substantially exhausted.

8. A feeler mechanism for looms, comprising in combination, a feeler carrier mounted for sliding movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler pivoted on the carrier, a rack which is yieldingly supported by the loom frame independent of the feeler carrier, a gear mounted on the feeler carrier and operatively connecting the feeler and rack to eifect swinging movement of the {color by the rack due to the frontward movement of the feeler and gear relative to the rack on a detecting beat when the filling is substantially exhausted, and means for limiting the relative movements of the feels carrier and rack.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, a ieele-r stand, a ieeler carrier and a rack carrier independently mounted on the feeler stand, a feeler mounted-on the feeler carrier, anda gear connecting the teeler and rack carrier.

10. In a feele-r mechanism for looms, the combination of a :Eeele-r carrier, a feeler mounted on the carrier for movement toward and from the front of the loom and also in a direction longitudinally of the shutthe, a rack which is mounted independently of the feeler carrier, a spring normally holdthe loom, a feeler mounted'on the carrier for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement by engagement with the filling on a detecting heat until substantial exhaustion thereof, a gear having toothed engagement with the teeler a rack mounted independently of the feeler carrier, spring means acting through the rack tending, to turn the gear and move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle as the lay moves frontwardly on a detecting heat, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is moved longitudinally of the shuttle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

